The Spanish newspaper "Marca" shed light on the top 5 contenders for the 2026 Ballon d'Or award after the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup competitions yesterday evening.
Spain defeated Argentina with a goal without reply in the World Cup final at "MetLife" Stadium.
The Spanish newspaper "Marca" believes there are 5 prominent candidates competing for the Ballon d'Or, based on the analysis of 5 renowned journalists, namely:
1- Lionel Messi:
Journalist Enrique Bernaola believes Messi deserves to win the Ballon d'Or due to his outstanding achievements in the World Cup, after leading the Argentina national team to the final for the second consecutive time, delivering an exceptional performance in which he scored 8 goals and provided 4 assists, becoming the second top scorer in the tournament. This represents a historic achievement given that he is 39 years old.
Messi was just one step away from winning his second World Cup title in his career; it was his third World Cup final, an achievement only the best can attain.
This Ballon d'Or could be his ninth in his career, making him the oldest player ever to win it, and perhaps this is the only missing record in his exceptional career.
2- Lamine Yamal:
Journalist Jesús Mata believes the Ballon d'Or should go to Lamine Yamal this time, as the matter has become clearer than ever. He did not deliver a spectacular performance in this edition of the World Cup, but one should not focus solely on his latest achievements, as he was one of the pillars of the Spain national team, and the victory over Argentina makes him a more advanced candidate on the list of contenders for the award.
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Lamine Yamal finished in second place in the previous edition of the Ballon d'Or after a worse season than this one. In the past season, he scored 24 goals and provided 17 assists, won the double of La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup, and led a European campaign at just 19 years old. His reaching the pinnacle with the Spain national team finally pushes him toward winning the most prestigious individual award in football.
Looking at the other candidates, we find that Lamine Yamal has achieved everything: titles with his club, his national team, good statistics, in addition to the aura surrounding him. He represents the future, yet he is a force that cannot be underestimated now.
3- Harry Kane:
Journalist Jesús de la Peña believes Harry Kane is one of the top contenders for the Ballon d'Or this year, after scoring 36 goals with Bayern Munich and winning his second Golden Boot at club level in his career. Although he is not considered the best English scorer in the World Cup, his six goals led him to break Gary Lineker's historic record (England's all-time top scorer in World Cup history).
This season is not considered bad for a player approaching 33 years old who led Bayern Munich to win the league and cup, in addition to reaching the World Cup semi-finals and securing the bronze medal.
4- Rodri:
Journalist Miguel Ángel García believes the Ballon d'Or undoubtedly belongs to Rodri. He was the best player in the World Cup and delivered a wonderful performance starting from the draw with Cape Verde, up to his stunning displays against France and Argentina. His brilliance was not limited to the ball only, but he was decisive without it as well, present everywhere, as he could control matches in any position. Some may think one tournament is not enough to win the award, but you should ask Messi 2023 or Cannavaro 2006.
However, it must be noted that Rodri also delivered a high-level performance with Manchester City. Despite needing some time to recover from a serious knee injury at the end of 2024 and subsequent issues, he succeeded in regaining his competitive spirit and led his team to compete with Arsenal for the league title until the end.
Rodri winning the Ballon d'Or would also serve as recognition for Spain, which is the best national team in the world.
5- Kylian Mbappé:
Journalist Álvaro Roca wonders who can surpass a player with such an impressive record: top scorer in the UEFA Champions League, top scorer in La Liga, winner of the Golden Boot in the World Cup, the tournament's all-time top scorer surpassing Messi? The Ballon d'Or is an individual award, and no one has outperformed Mbappé throughout the year. No one.
Mbappé came close to winning titles with his team, but his individual performance was the most prominent, whether with Real Madrid or France. He surpasses the rest when comparing the best levels of each candidate.
